Machined Part

The machined part to connect the motor/generator to the gear has been finished.

Motor to Gear Attachment

This week, a small part allowing the circular shaft of our motor to connect to the square holes of our gears, was machined. This part is pivotal in our design, as if it does not function properly, the dynamo will not work. The design challenges of this part include its small dimensions. The piece is less than 3mm by 3mm by 10mm. A hole that just fits the motor axle also has to be drilled into the part. The part is scheduled to be finished tomorrow, and once picked up, will be attached to the motor with either hot glue, solder, or epoxy.

Charging the Caps

After setting up the electrical circuitry, our group was able to verify that the electrical systems were charging when the motor was turned. Once we have greater mechanical advantage to turn the motor faster, we should be able to generate enough electricity to output 5 volts.

Week 4 Lab

Today in lab, we were able to successfully set up the circuitry necessary for the project. We were also able to verify that the motor we will be incorporating into our dynamo is able to generate electricity. Our gears, which also arrived through shipping, were measured and incorporated into our initial designs. A metal component is in the process of being machined to connect the gears with the motor. An update on the machined part will come later in the week.

Modeling

For our final product, we may do some math based modeling to determine the efficiency of our dynamo and then compare it to other dynamos on the market.

Plan for week 4 lab

The goal of week 4 lab is to begin constructing test circuits, identify where all other needed parts will be purchased (if necessary), and to begin the CADD drawings of our 3D printed containers.

Prelab Week 4

Week 4 is almost upon us and our halfway point through the term and the project are almost here as well. We will have to work efficiently in order to complete the project to the fullest of our abilities.

Shipment Received!

The gears we ordered to create our dynamo have just arrived! We nearly have all of our pieces!

Testing

The goal of this project is to generate enough electricity from our dynamo to be able to charge a phone battery. This means, at an average riding speed, the dynamo must generate around 5 volts. In order to test this we will attach a volt-ohm meter to the output of our system while pedaling the bike at various speeds in order to determine the dynamos voltage outputs. All this data will be recorded and graphs may be posted in the future of the dynamos capabilities.

Materials

Most of the materials, especially those needed for the electrical components, have been gathered or are currently being shipped. Parallel board still needs to be purchased, and 3D printed parts still need to be made, however we are this much closer to being able to start the project.